Crock Pot Southwest Chicken Chili

I posted the other day on Facebook that I was going to make this since the weather was feeling more like Fall than Summer. I’ve had a couple requests for the recipe, so here you go. I didn’t take pictures, but in the future, I will – or, you can make your version of the recipe and send me your pictures and I’ll post them here.

Basic ingredients

• (1) 15-0z can no salt (or reduced sodium) black beans
• (1) 15-oz can corn
• (1) 15-oz can stewed tomatoes (sometimes they have these with Mexican or Italian seasonings – you can go that route, if you choose, but I used the standard kind)
• (2) large frozen chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
• 1/3 jar Southwest flavored salsa

Note: You can use dried beans, but soak them overnight and adjust the cooking time accordingly. Also, you’ll need to add additional chicken stock and/or water as well in proportion to how many beans you add. I used canned because it was faster.

Optional ingredients

• Red kidney beans
• Pinto beans
• Fat free chicken stock
• 1/2 cup wild grain rice
• Chipotle mustard (added on top of the chicken for flavor)
• Cilantro
• Celery
• Onions
• Bell Peppers (any color. I find the red ones give a bit of a sweeter taste when cooked)
• Zucchini (green or yellow)
• Other veggies to taste and bulk up the chili)

Instructions

Drain the juice from the can of corn, and add to the other canned ingredients in the bottom of the crock pot. Add optional ingredients as desired. Place the frozen chicken on top of the ingredients and cook for a minimum of 4 hours. When done, break up the cooked chicken to spread it throughout the chili mixture. Serve warm topped with melted 2% Mexican style shredded cheese (or other), chopped onions, and one tablespoon fat free sour cream. This fills up my crock pot half way and made about 6 –8 one cup servings.

Leftover variations

• Drain some of the juice from your chili and make chili burritos or tacos.
• Add to low fat tortilla chips and make nachos.

Cook’s Comments: Sometimes I’ll add other beans, but I add them in equal parts – that is, one can each, and I have  a large crock pot. Often I’ll add the various other vegetables for variety, just to use up what’s in my fridge. If you notice that your chili is looking a little dry as it cooks, add some fat free chicken stock. I did this last time starting out and my mixture was a bit too soupy for my liking, so I added some wild rice about 2/3 through the cooking time.

Let me know what you think and what variations you use. I’m totally open to suggestions to make the flavor more interesting – that seems to be my biggest handicap when making up recipes.

Enjoy!

Tagged as: chicken chili, Food & Nutrition, healthy eating, low-fat recipes, Recipes